« Batter "Muffins" | Main | This Week Thanksgiving Recipes!! »
November 9, 2007
Chili
When the weather turns brisk outside I start thinking about soup and Chili is one of the first things that comes to mind! It's just perfect on a lovely fall evening. It's also a very versatile dish that you can mix and match. It doesn't necessarily have to be the same twice unless you want it to be. I like to play around with Chili every time I make it, but sometimes you just want a good basic go to Chili that hits the spot. This recipe is just that!
What You'll Need:
Extra virgin olive oil
1 large onion, chopped (Note: You can use whatever type onion you have on hand. I used a red onion, but any other variety will work fine.)
1 large bell pepper, chopped (Note: Again whatever type you have on hand is fine. I used a yellow bell pepper, but red or green or whatever else you have on hand works just as well.)
6-8 cloves of garlic, minced
3-4 heaping tablespoons of chili powder (Note: Some chili powders are hotter than others. The one I buy is rather mild. If you use a hotter version and you like things more mild then reduce the quantity to 1 tablespoon or less depending on your heat tolerance.)
1-2 heaping tablespoons of paprika
1 teaspoon of cumin
2 teaspoons of black pepper
1 teaspoon of sea salt
1 pinch of red pepper flakes (Note: Add as much as you like depending on what heat level you like. If you like things milder then omit entirely.)
1 pinch of cayenne pepper (Note: Again add as much as you like depending on what heat level you like. If you like things milder then omit entirely.)
1 - 28 ounce can of chunky tomato sauce
1 - 14.5 ounce can diced tomatoes with garlic and onion
1 - 14.5 ounce can fire roasted tomatoes
1 - 15 ounce can pinto beans
1 - 15 ounce can kidney beans
1 - 15 ounce can black beans
You can do this recipe one of three ways. One start it on the stove and then finish it in a large crock pot OR cook it in a pot on the stove top entirely OR dump everything into the crock pot and let it cook there entirely. I prefer starting it in a pot to get the lovely caramelized onions that give the chili great flavor and then finishing it up in the crock pot. Whichever method you choose will work fine. The directions below are for my preferred method.
In a large stock pot sauté onion and bell pepper until onion is tender and slightly caramelized. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute or so careful not to burn. Add seasonings and stir well. Add tomatoes and beans and stir to mix. Taste for seasonings and add more if needed. Remember that the flavors will develop the longer it cooks and the heat will come out more as well. Bring to a boil. Once boiling pour into a crock pot and cook on low for 6-8 hours or on high for 3-4.
Notes: There is no such thing as too many beans in chili, especially if it is vegetarian as this version is. You can add more or less beans according to your liking and you can also add in different types of beans. I like to add white beans and even black eyed peas sometimes too. You can also add in a pound or so of ground beef cooked and crumbled if you prefer. I like to add textured soy protein or vegetable protein sometimes. You could also add in ground turkey or chicken if you liked. Some people also like sausage in their chili, though I must admit I've never really found the appeal to that, but the important part is to add what you like. Left over chili also makes a good "filling" for baked potatoes as well. This makes a large batch so you'll have plenty of left overs. You can even freeze it if you like for use later. I saved a quart in the fridge for leftovers and put the rest into the freezer for some snowy afternoon. ;o)
Posted by Dianne at November 9, 2007 10:47 AM
Trackback Pings
TrackBack URL for this entry:
http://www.diannesdishes.com/~dianne1/cgi-bin/mt/mt-t.cgi/342